Brake control



G. D. RITTER 2,038,681

BRAKE CONTROL April 28, 1936.

Filed Feb. 26, 1935 2 Sheetss-Sheerl l INVENTOR G50/mf D. AWN-Ef?v ATTORNEY April 28, 1936. D Rpm-ER 2,038,681

BRAKE C ONTROL Filed Feb. 2.6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet V Y E f\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ i INVENTOR A1' onNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE BRAKE CONTROL George D. Ritter, Uniontown, Ohio Application February 26, 1935, Serial No. 8,282

9 Claims.

'I'his invention relates 'to brake controls for motor driven vehicles, and more especially it relates to automatically operating means for locking the brakes of a vehiclel in braking position when another mechanism, for example, the

clutch pedal, is operated.

Ordinarily motor vehicles are provided with clutch and brake pedals arranged beside each other to be operated by the respective feet of the driver. Depressing of the brake pedal applies the brakes and depressing of the clutch pedal disengages the clutch. Also itA is common practice to provide the clutch pedal with a substantial amount of free travel or lost motion below or beyond the position at which the clutch actually is disengaged.

If the vehicle is stopped on an uphill grade, it is not uncommon for the driver to experience diiiculty in holding and re-starting the vehicle.

This is true because the tendency of the vehicle to drift backwards down grade makes it necessary for the driver to keep the brake pedal depressed while stopped, and rendering dilcult the acceleration or the starting of the motor before releasing the clutch pedal to reengage the clutch.

The chief objects of the invention are to provide an improved brake control which will permit the brakes of a vehicle to be applied at all times, but will prevent the release of the brakes when said brake .control is in operation; and to provide a device of the character mentioned that may be attached to existing models of motor vehicles without alteration of the latter. Further objects include simplicity of construction; elciency of operation; argl cheapness of cost.

The foregoing and other objects are achieved by the use of a movable, preferably rotatable drum having a band or cable wrapped helically .40 therearound, and so arranged that operation of the brake pedal will effect relative movement of the drum and band and operation of the clutch pedal will tighten or loosen the band about the drum, whereby said band or cable may be utilized for applying a snubbing eilect'upon the drum to prevent said movement thereof under certain conditions. In a vehicle` equipped with automatic clutch control mechanism that disengages the clutch without depressing the clutch pedal, the driver may manually operate the clutch pedal to operate the brake control, during periods that the clutchl is disengaged by said automatic means, without affecting the operation of said automatic means. 4" Of the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the brake pedal and clutch pedal of a motor vehicle, and the improved brake control, in its preferred form, operatively associated therewith;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the elements shown 5 in Figure 1, as viewed from the right thereof;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3- of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the'invention operatively connect- 10 ed to the clutch `and brake pedals of a motor vehicle;

Figure 5 is an elevation of the parts shown in Figure 4 as viewed from the right thereof;

Figure 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic -plan l5 view of still another embodiment of the invention; vand Figure 'I is a side elevation of the shown in Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings,. 20 I0 isthe brake pedal of a motor vehicle and II is the clutch pedal thereof, both of said pedals extending upwardly through respective slots in the toe board I2 of the vehicle in the usual manner. Mounted upon the underside of the said toe 25 board, between the clutch pedal and brake pedal, is the improved brake control comprising a U- shaped metal yokeor bracket I4 that is secured to said toe board by screws I5, I5 that extend through its end wall. Mounted in the open end 3 of the bracket I4 is a rotatable cylinder or drum I6 that is journaled upon a pin or rivet Ilextending from one side of the bracket I4 to the other. A lever I8 also journaled upon the pivot pin I'I and disposed radially of the drum I6 is 35 seated in a transverse slot I9 in one lateral face of the latter, the arrangement being such that the drum may be oscillated by the oscillation of said lever. A link 20 has one end pivotally connected to the free end of lever I8 and has its other end pivotally connected to a suitable fixture or clip 2| that is clamped to the brake pedal I0, whereby movement of the latter causes oscillation or angular rotary movement of the drum I6. i 4

IMounted upon the drum I6 is a snubbing member consisting cfa, plurality of helical convolutions of metal tape 23, the normal inside diameter of said member being slightly larger than the outside diameter of the drum so thatthe latter may turn angularly relatively thereto. One end ofthe tape or strap 23 is permanently secured to an anchorage pin 24 that is secured at its respective ends in the sidewallsof the bracket I4 behind the drum I6; Said pin also 55 mechanism serves as one anchorage for a control or operating 'arm 25, which extends along one lateral face 'of the bracket |4 and -is further secured thereto by means of a washer 26 under the adjacent end of -pivot pin |1. The operating arm 25 is composed of spring metal and is bent at right angles across the end of bracket I4, the free end of the f' arm extending intothe path of clutch pedal There is an adjustable connection between the arm 25 and the free end of the lsnubber tape 23,

which connection is shown herein as a bolt 21 that is adjustably secured to said tape and extends freely throgh an aperture 28 formed in said arm.

The arrangement is such that when the clutch pedal is depressed, as shown in the drawings, said pedal engages arm 25 and so exes it out- `wardly fs yieldingly to draw the snubber tape 23 tightly about the drum I6. The tape 23 is so wrapped about the drum I6 that said drum may turn in clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 1,- at all times, even though the tape is tightened A about the drum by the depressing of clutch pedal the springiness of the metal in arm 25 allowing such retraction and loosening of the tape as to permit such movement. The normal looseness of the snubber tape on the drum permits the latter to be oscillated in the counterclockwise direction at any time the clutch pedal is not depressed.

When, however, after the drum 23 has been turned clockwise, as by the depressing of the brake pedal I9, as shown, and the clutch pedal is depressed to tighten the vtape 23 about the drum, counterclockwise movement of the drum Y positively is prevented. since the friction between .affect the normal operation of the brake and clutch pedals. The invention makes for safety of driving, especially'in. regions where grades are numerous, and achieves the other objects set out in the foregoing statement of objects.

In vthe embodimentmf the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, thereis a brake pedal 30 and clutch pedal 3| pivotally mounted upon the usual pedal shaft 32, said pedals extending upwardly pedal 3|. The 'tensionspringl` 4| is so arranged through respective slots in the toe board 33 of the vehicle. Mounted on the under side of the toe board 33 is a U-shaped yoke or bracket 34 in the open end of which a cylinder or drum 35 is journaled upon a suitable bolt 36. Said drum .35 is formed on one lateral margin'with a downwardly extending radial arm 35 to the free end of which is pivotally connected one end of a link 31, the other end of the latter being pivotally connected to a clip 38 that is clamped upon the brake pedal 30. Mounted in the bracket 34, behind the drum 35, is an anchorage pin 39 to which is xedly attached one end ofan elongate snubbermember consisting of a Wire or cable 40, the latter being wrapped about`the drum 35 in a plurality of adjacent helical convolutions and having its other end connected to one end of a tension spring 4`I. The 'other end o f tension spring 4| is jconnected to an arm 3|a that proj'ects radially from the hub portion of clutch as not to be under tension when the clutch pedal 3| is in normal raised position, thereby causing the snubber cable 40 to engage the drum 35 loosely and permitting the latter to be oscillated in either direction. When the said clutch pedal is depressed, as shown in Figure 4, the spring 4I is put under tension and thus causes the cable 40 yieldingly to grip the said drum, whereby the latter may be rotated counte clockwiseby the depressing of brake pedal 3 as shown, but may not be rotated in clockwise direction until the clutch pedal is raised. A

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 6 and 7 comprises a brake rod 44 that is connected to the usual brake pedal 54 and moved longitudinally toward the left in the setting of a vehicles brakes and is moved toward the right in the releasing of the (brakes. Secured upon the brake rod 44 is a fixture comprising va flanged, cylindrical, non-rotatable drum 45. Wrapped about the drum 45 in a plurality of helical convolutions is a metal wire or cable 46 that has one end secured to a xed point 41 on the frame of a vehicle. The other end of cable 46 is connected to one end of a tension spring 48 that has its other end connected to one end of a lever 49 that is pivoted intermediate its ends upon a xed point 50 on the `frame of the vehicle. The other end of lever 49 is connected to one end of a cable I that is connected at its other end to the usual clutch pedal 55 of the vehicle, the arrangement being such that when the said clutch pedal is same end of lever 49 as cable 5|, in opposition to the latter, to restore said lever to the normal4 position shown in full lines in the drawings when the clutch pedal is in its raised, normal position. The lever 49 may be provided with an offset lug or ear 49"L which will abut a portion of the vehicle frame as shown, when the device is in inoperative position, in which position 4the spring 49 is not under tension and the cable 46 fits loosely about the drum 45.

When the respective ele ents of the control are in the inoperative pos tion shown in full lines in the drawings, the brake rod may be moved in either direction since the helical vcoils of the cable 46 will slip loosely about the drum. When the clutch pedal is depressed, the lever 49 is pulled by the cable 5|, against the tensionA of spring 52 to the position shown in broken 1 about the drum. Then the brake rod 44 may be moved .to the left to apply the brakes since the spring 48 will yield sufficiently to allow the cable 46 to slide about the drum 45, but said rod cannot be movedto the right to release the brakes because the resultant pull on the cable tightens the latter about the drum because of its fixed anchorage at the point 41.

In all. of the embodiments shown and described the connection between the clutch pedal and the brake control device. preferably is so arranged that it functions only during the clutch pedal's freetravel or lost motion beyond the point where the clutch is disengaged so that it in nowise alters or interferes with the normal operation of the vehicle, and the brake always will be released before the clutch is engaged.v

Other modications may be resorted to withi aoeegcsi What is claimed is:

1. In combination with the clutch pedal and the brake pedal of a motor vehicle, a brake control comprising a drum, a snubbing member wrapped about the drum, means connecting said snubbing member with the clutch pedal for varying the tension of the snubbing member about the drum, and means connecting the brake pedalfto the drum for causing relative movement between the drum and the snubbingmember.

2. In combination with the clutch pedal and the brake pedal of a motor vehicle, a brake control comprising a drum, a snubbing member coiled helically about said drum and having one end secured to a fixed point, resilient means so interposed between the other end of the snubbing member and the clutch pedal that operation of the latter yieldingly tightens the snubbing member about the drum, and means connecting the brake pedalv to the drum for causing relative lmovement between the drum and snubbing member when said brake pedal is operated.-

3. In combination with the clutch pedal and the brake pedal of a motor Vehicle, a brake control comprising a pivotally mounted drum, a snubbing member coiled helically about said drum having one end secured to a xed point, resilient means so interposed between the other end of the snubbing member and the clutch pedal that operation of the latter yieldingly tightens the snubbing member about the drum, and means connecting the brake pedal to the drum for oscillating the latter.

4. In combination with the clutch pedal and the brake pedal of a motor vehicle, a brake control comprising a pivotally mounted drum, a

snubbing member coiled helically about said' drum and having one end secured to a fixed point, a resilient leaf spring to which the other end of said snubbing member is connected, said leaf spring extending into the operative path of the clutch pedal whereby depressing of thelatter engages and iiexes said leaf spring and thereby yieldingly tightens the snubbing member about the drum, and means connecting the brake pedal to t drum for causing angular movement of the la ter.

5. A combination as defined in claim 4 inclu ing an adjustable member between the snubbing member and the leaf spring.

6. In combination with the clutch pedal and4 the brake pedal of a motor vehicle, a brake control comprising a pivotally mounted drum, a helical coil of strlpmaterial about the perimeter of said drum, one end of saidstrip material being attached to'a fixed point on the vehicle, a tension spring connecting the other end of said strip material to said clutch pedal whereby depressing of the latter yieldingly tightens the helical coil about the drum, and a connection between the brake pedal and the drum for causing angular movementof the latter when the brake pedal is operated.

-7. In combination with the clutch pedal and the brake pedal of a motor Vehicle, a brake control comprising a drum, a helical coil in frictional contact with the perimeter of said drum, one end of said coil being anchored to a fixed point, means for applying an elastic tension to the other end of said coil when the clutch pedal is depressed, and means for moving the drum relatively of said coil when the brake pedal is operated.

8. In a motor vehicle, a brake rod movable longitudinally by operation of the brake pedal thereof, a drum non-rotatably mounted on said brake rod and moving therewith, a strip of snubbing material wound helically about said drum, one end of said snubbing material being secured to a fixed point, and means connecting the other end of said snubbing material to the clutch pedal of the vehicle whereby operation of the latter Will tighten the `snubbing material about the drum.

9. In a brake control device, the combination of a bracket adapted to be secured to the structure of a motor vehicle, a drum journaled in said bracket, a snubbing member disposed helically about said drum and having one end secured to a iixed point on the bracket, elastic means for connecting the other end of -the snubbing member to the clutch mechanism of the motor vehicle whereby the latter is adapted yieldingly to tighten said member about the drum, and means for connecting the drum to the brake mechanism of the vehicle whereby the. drum is oscillated when saidbrake mechanism is operated.

GEORGE D. RITTER; 

